UPSC Paper 2 Answer Key Download pdf 2017

ANSWER KEY: UPSC 2017 Civil Services Prelims Exam

Directions for the following 7 (seven) items: Read the following seven passages and answer the items that follow the passages. Your answer to these items should be based on the passages only.

Passage-1

We have hard work ahead. There is no resting for any of us till we redeem our pledge in full fill we make all the people of India what destiny intends them to be. We are citizens of a great country, on the verge of bold advance, and we have to live up to that high standard. All of us, to whatever religion we may belong, are equally the children of India with, equal rights, privileges and obligations. We cannot encourage communalism or narrow mindedness, for no nation can be great whose people are narrow in thought or action.

41. The challenge the author of the above passage throws to the public is to achieve

(a) a high standard of living, progress and privileges

(b) equal privileges, fulfilment of destiny and political tolerance

(c) spirit of adventure and economic parity

(d) hard work, brotherhood out national unity

Answer. d

Passage-2

"The individual, according to Rousseau, puts his person and all his power in common under the supreme direction of the General Will and in our corporate capacity we receive each member as an indivisible part of the whole."

42. In the light of the above passage, the nature of General Will is best described as

(a) the sum total of the private wills of the individuals

(b) what is articulated by the elected representatives of the individuals

(c) the collective good as distinct from private wills of the individuals

(d) the material interests of the community

Answer. c

Passage-3

In a democratic State, where a high degree of Political maturity of the people obtains, the conflict between the will of the sovereign law-making body and the organized will of the people seldom occurs.

43. What does the above passage imply?

(a) In a democracy, force is the main phenomenon in the actual exercise of sovereignty.

(b) In a mature democracy, force to a great extent is the main phenomenon in the actual exercise of sovereignty.

(c) In a mature democracy, use of force is irrelevant in the actual exercise of sovereignty.

(d) In a mature democracy, force is narrowed down to a marginal phenomenon in the actual exercise of sovereignty.

Answer. d

Passage-4

A successful democracy depends upon widespread interest and participation in politics, in which voting is an essential part. To deliberately refrain from taking such an interest, and from voting, is a kind of implied anarchy, it is to refuse one's political responsibility while enjoying the benefits of a free political society.

44. This passage relates to

(a) duty to vote

(b) right to vote

(c) freedom to vote

(d) right to participate in politics

Answer. a

Passage-5

In a free country, the man who reaches the position of leader is usually one of outstanding, character and ability. Moreover, it is usually possible to foresee that he will reach such a position, since early in life one can see his qualities of character. But this is not always true in the case of a dictator; often he reaches his position of power through chance, very often through the unhappy state of his country.

45. The passage seems to suggest that

(a) a leader foresees his future position

(b) a leader is chosen only by a free country

(c) a leader must see that his country is free from despair

(d) despair in a country sometimes leads to dictatorship

Answer. d

Passage-6

The greatest blessing that technological progress has in store for mankind is not, of course, an accumulation of material possessions. The amount of these that can be effectively enjoyed by one individual in one lifetime is not great. But there is not the same narrow limit to the possibilities of the enjoyment of leisure. The gift of leisure may be abused by people who have had no experience of making use of it. Yet the creative use of leisure by a minority in societies has been the mainspring of all human progress beyond the primitive level.

46. With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made :

1. People always see the leisure time as a gift and use it for acquiring more material possessions.

2. Use of leisure by some people to produce new and original things has been the chief source of human progress.

Which of these assumptions is/are valid?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer. c

Passage-7

There is more than a modicum of truth in the assertion that "a working knowledge of ancient history is necessary to the intelligent interpretation of current events". But the sage who uttered these words of wisdom might well have added something on the benefits of studying particularly the famous battles of history for the lessons they contain for those of us who lead or aspire to leadership. Such a study will reveal certain qualities and attributes which enabled the winners to win—and certain deficiemcies which caused the losers to lose and the student will see that the same pattern recurs consistently, again and again, throughout the centuries.

47. With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:

1. A study of the famous battles it history would help us understand the modern warfare.

2. Studying the history is essential fin anyone who aspires to be a leader.

Which of these assumptions is/are valid?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer. c

48. Suppose the average weight of 9 persons is 50 kg. The average weight of the first 5 persons is 45 kg, whereas the average weight of the last 5 persons is 55 kg. Then the weight of the 5th person will be

(a) 45 kg

(b) 47.5 kg

(c) 50 kg

(d) 52.5 Kg

Answer. c

49. In a group of six women, there are four tennis players, four postgraduates in Sociology, one postgraduate in Commerce and three bank employees. Vimala and Kamla are the bank employees while Amala and Komala are unemployed. Komala and Nirmala are among the tennis players. Amala, Kamla, Komala and Nirmala are postgraduates in Sociology of whom two are bank employees. If Shyamala is a postgraduate in Commerce, who among the following is both a tennis player and a bank employee?

(a) Amala

(b) Komala

(c) Nirmala

(d) Shyamala

Answer. c

50. P = (40% of A) + (65% of B) and Q = (50% of A) + (50% of B), where A is greater than B. In this context, which of the following statements is correct?

(a) P is greater than Q.

(b) Q is greater than P.

(c) P is equal to Q.

(d) None of the above can be concluded with certainty.

Answer. b

51. A watch loses 2 minutes in every 24 while another watch gains 2 minutes, in 24 hours. At a particular instant, the two watches showed an identical time. Which of the following statements is correct if 24-hour clock is

(a) The two watches show the identical time again on completion of 30 days.

(b) The two watches show the identical time again on completion of 90 days.

(c) The two watches show the identical time again on completion of 120 days.

(d) None of the above statements correct.

Answer :d

52. In a city, 12% of households earn less than Rs. 30,000 per year, 6% households earn more than Rs. 2,00,000 per year, 22% households earn more than Rs. 1,00,000 per year and 990 households earn between Rs. 30,000 and Rs. 1,00,000 per year. How many households earn between Rs. 1,00,000 and Rs. 2,00,000 per year?

(a) 250

(b) 240

(c) 230

(d) 225

Answer: 240

53. A clock strikes once at 1 o'clock, twice at 2 o'clock and thrice at 3 o'clock, and so on. If it takes 12 seconds to strike at 5 o'clock, what is the time taken by it to strike at 10 o'clock?

(a) 20 seconds

(b) 24 seconds

(c) 28 seconds

(d) 30 seconds

Answer. b

54. Consider the given statement and the two conclusions that follow:

Statement:

Morning walk is good for health.

Conclusions:

1. All healthy people go for morning walk.

2. Morning walk is essential for maintaining good health.

What is/are the valid conclusion/ conclusions?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer. d

55. There are thirteen 2-digit consecutive odd numbers. If 39 is the mean of the first live such numbers, then what is the mean of all the thirteen numbers?

(a) 47

(b) 49

(c) 51

(d) 45

Answer:47

56. Six boys A, B, C, D, E and F play a game of cards. Each has a pack of 10 cards. F borrows 2 cards from A and gives away 5 to C who in turn gives 3 to B while B gives 6 to D who passes 1 to E. Then the number of cards possessed by D and E is equal to the number of cards possessed by

(a) A, B and C

(b) B, C and F

(c) A, B and F

(d) A, C and F

Answer: b

57. There is a milk sample with 50% water in it. If 1/3rd of this milk is added to equal amount of pure milk, then water in the new mixture will fall down to

(a) 25%

(b) 30%

(c) 35%

(d) 40%

Answer: 25%

58. There are 4 horizontal and 4 vertical lines, parallel and equidistant to one another on a board. What is the maximum number of rectangles and squares that can be formed?

(a) 16

(b) 24

(c) 36

(d) 42

Answer: 24

59. A freight train left Delhi for Mumbai at an average speed of 40 km/hr. Two hours later, an express train left Delhi for Mumbai, following the freight train on a parallel track at an average speed of 60 km/hr. How far from Delhi would the express train meet the freight train?

(a) 480 km

(b) 260 km

(c) 240 km

(d) 120 km

Answer: 290km

60. In a test, Randhir obtained more marks than the total marks obtained by Kunal and Debu. The total marks obtained by Kunal and Shankar are more than those of Randhir. Sonal obtained more marks than Shankar. Neha obtained more marks than Randhir. Who amongst them obtained highest marks?